Deal Sourcery
Deal Sourcery is the must-listen podcast for Private Equity professionals aiming to master the art of deal origination. Hosted by Dan Herr - who’s closed over $1B in transactions in the last decade while building and leading world-class deal sourcing teams - and Matt Rooney, a top recruiter in PE business development, we dive into cutting-edge trends, proven tactics, data-driven sourcing strategies and the technology shaping the future of M&A. Each episode features in-depth discussions with exited founders, PE professions and investment bankers, delivering exclusive, actionable insights you won’t find anywhere else. Tune in to elevate your sour...
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Deals Still Run On Relationships: VRA Partner's Chris Reilly On Why The Best Buyers Build Trust First
<p>We all know relationships are key in BD, but it’s still easy to forget that there’s always a real human on the other side of your transactions. Chris Reilly, Managing Director at VRA Partners has years of experience building lasting relationships that have helped propel and maintain his career in investment banking. Chris joins the show to discuss how PE folks can engage boutique bankers and create lasting relationships that stick, what kind of engagement tactics work and what ones will land your email in the trash, and how building reciprocal relationships with wealth advisors and M&A At...
Gold Medal Sourcing: 5x Olympic Gold Medalist’s Journey into Deal Sourcing
<p>What does training for Olympic Gold have in common with a career in deal sourcing? In his first year at Norwest, 5x Olympic Gold Medalist Ryan Murphy found out. Ryan joins the show to talk about his transition from Olympian to Investor, how co-owning a Goldfish Swim School franchise helps him relate to business owners, and how even a world-record holder can have trouble getting responses to cold emails.</p>
Lessons From Three Decades of Deal Sourcing with Glenn Oken
<p>In this episode, we sit down with Glenn Oken to trace how business development in private equity has evolved from 1989 to today, and what’s been lost (and gained) along the way.</p><p>Glenn reflects on the early days of deal sourcing, when private equity was barely an industry, competition was thin, and there were no CRMs, playbooks, or automated workflows to lean on. What existed instead was judgment, creativity, persistence, and a relentless focus on building real relationships — often face to face.</p><p>We explore how sourcing moved from hustle-driven relationship work to a more process-heavy func...
What It Takes to Source “Elite” Founder-Owned Software Companies with Jake Colognesi
<p>In a world where our digital inboxes are flooded with the same templated outreach e-mails, AI-assisted intros and impersonal newsletters, what can you do to stand out? Jake Colognesi of Mamba Growth Equity joins the show to talk about bringing humanity back into private equity to set himself apart from the competition. From leading with empathy and curiosity to sending out type-written notes to potential partners, Jake walks us through what makes a Mamba Deal different and why it works.</p>
Running Towards Deals - Mike Alberts on the M&A Fitness Club and Why BD is the Best Job in PE
<p>Is starting your day with a little bit of shared struggle the key to building deeper relationships? Mike Alberts thinks so. Mike joins the show to discuss how his "M&A Fitness Club" got started, why leaning into your interests can help you stand apart and make more connections, and why he believes BD is the best job in PD.</p>
The Final Frontier of Deal Sourcing - How Metrics, Systems and AI Will Shape the Future of Business Development with Renn Iaboni
<p>You already keep metrics on just about everything, but how do you turn those numbers into actionable items to help you win more deals? Renn Iaboni of Monomoy Capital Partners joins the show to explore how to make sense of all that data you're tracking, how AI is changing the way we present information to banks and investors, and why there's no such thing as a bad first meeting.</p>
The First BD Guy & the AI Native Future - Deal Sourcery Live from M&A SoCal
<p>At Deal Sorcery Live, recorded at M&A SoCal, Ori Eldarov (Founder of OffDeal) and John Camp (Arbor Investments) join the show to discuss the origins of business development and how artificial intelligence is reshaping dealmaking — from sourcing to closing.</p><p>They discuss what happens when AI takes the wheel in investment banking, why human relationships still matter more than ever, and how the next generation of deal professionals will work alongside technology, not against it.</p><p>Topics covered:</p>How AI is transforming deal sourcing and private equity workflowsBuilding an AI-native investment bank with more engineers th...
Mount Rushmore of BD - Lessons Learned from Legend Award Winner Jay Jester
<p>Are you actually building the kind of BD function that wins deals—or just checking a box?</p><p>Jay Jester, BD Legend and Partner at Plexus Capital joins Deal Sourcery to unpack what makes great sourcing teams stand out.</p><p>With decades of experience, Jay shares real stories and tactical insight on how to build trust, manage founder psychology, and turn your BD team into a true strategic asset.</p><p>If you're hiring, scaling, or just trying to sharpen your edge in BD, Jay shares a sharp, unfiltered perspective from one of the best in the bu...
700 Conversations. 13 Touches. 1 Thesis Scorecard. Here’s the Compass Method with Jonathan Babcock
<p>Are you making cold calls but just not locking in enough deals? Compass Equity Group's Jonathan Babcock joins the show to explain how playing the long-game and developing a firm-wide culture of thesis lead business development has helped them win.</p><p>Jonathan walks us through the Compass Method's 13-touchpoint outreach strategy and how it leads to deeper connections with business owners, keeps them competitive and wins deals.</p><p>📍CHAPTERS: </p><p>00:00 – Intro</p><p>02:30 – An Overview on the Compass Method and How to Stay Competitive</p><p>07:30 – How a Thesis Driven Approach Can Set You Apart</p><p>08:30 –...
How to Crush Your First 90 Days in Business Development (Private Equity Edition)
<p>If you’re getting started at a private equity firm in business development, this one's for you. Inspired by Dan’s viral LinkedIn post, you’ll get tried-and-true steps for crushing your first 90-days on the job: how to build your banker pipeline, optimize your time on the road and actually measure your success. Whether you’re the first sourcing hire at a fund or stepping into a seasoned team, this is your outline on how to hit the ground running and set yourself up for long-term success. </p><p>Read Dan’s original LinkedIn post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/d...
